What is Breast Cancer?
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the UK. Almost 60,000 women are diagnosed with this disease every year, with an extra 7,400 breast cancer sufferers diagnosed with an earlier, non-invasive form, confined to a specific area of the breast (usually milk ducts) but which may later acquire the ability to spread.
One in eight women will develop breast cancer in their lifetime. It is much less common in men, with approximately 1% of all breast cancers occurring in men.
It is key for you to become familiar with how your breasts look and feel so you know what is normal for you at different times of the month.
If you have any concerns about your breasts you should make an appointment with your doctor who will either reassure you or refer you to a specialist.
We don’t know the causes of breast cancer but we do know that it can be influenced by factors such as, your age, lifestyle or family history.